The streaming landscape is about to witness a powerful reminder of why Paul Mescal became one of the most compelling actors of his generation. This August, Netflix will welcome NORMAL PEOPLE to its platform, bringing the acclaimed BBC adaptation back into the spotlight just as Mescal’s star continues its meteoric rise through Hollywood.
For those who discovered Mescal through his recent powerhouse performances in AFTERSUN and GLADIATOR II, NORMAL PEOPLE offers a fascinating glimpse into the raw talent that first captivated audiences worldwide. The series, which originally aired in 2020, showcases Mescal as Connell Waldron, a sensitive young man navigating the complexities of love, identity, and mental health alongside Daisy Edgar-Jones’s Marianne Sheridan.
The story unfolds across the landscapes of Ireland and beyond, following two souls bound by an inexplicable connection despite their vastly different social backgrounds. From the fictional town of Carricklea in County Sligo through the hallowed halls of Trinity College Dublin, we witness a relationship that shifts between friendship and romance, intimacy and distance, understanding and miscommunication. Their journey extends to Sweden during Marianne’s studies abroad and to a sun-drenched Italian villa, each location serving as a backdrop for their evolving dynamic.
What makes NORMAL PEOPLE particularly striking is how it captures the universal experience of young love while remaining deeply rooted in its Irish setting. The production team filmed extensively throughout Ireland, using Tubbercurry in County Sligo to represent Carricklea and capturing the wild beauty of Streedagh Point for the series’ memorable beach scenes. The authenticity extends to the university sequences, shot at the actual Trinity College Dublin with real students populating the background, lending an organic quality to the academic environment where much of Marianne and Connell’s relationship develops.
The series doesn’t shy away from difficult themes. As Marianne finds herself trapped in abusive relationships and Connell battles anxiety and depression, their connection becomes both a source of comfort and confusion. It’s this emotional honesty that allows NORMAL PEOPLE to transcend typical romantic drama, offering instead a meditation on how we shape and are shaped by the people we love.
For Mescal, NORMAL PEOPLE served as the launching pad for a career that has since seen him earn an Oscar nomination for AFTERSUN and take on the iconic role of Lucius in Ridley Scott’s GLADIATOR II. His portrayal of Connell revealed an actor capable of conveying profound vulnerability and strength, often within the same scene. The naturalistic performance style that would later make him such a compelling presence in A24’s intimate character study was already fully formed in this breakout role.
The series’ arrival on Netflix couldn’t be more perfectly timed. As Mescal continues to choose projects that challenge both himself and audiences, NORMAL PEOPLE reminds us of the foundation of emotional intelligence and authentic performance that underpins his most celebrated work. Whether you’re discovering it for the first time or revisiting Marianne and Connell’s story, prepare for an experience that will leave you emotionally raw and deeply moved.
The production’s attention to detail extends even to the Italian sequences, where the villa Il Casale on Tenuta di Verzano in Lazio doubled for Marianne’s family retreat, creating a dreamlike escape that contrasts beautifully with the more grounded Irish settings. Every location choice serves the story’s emotional arc, creating a visual journey that mirrors the characters’ internal growth.
NORMAL PEOPLE stands as more than just the series that introduced Paul Mescal to the world. It’s a masterclass in adaptation, transforming Sally Rooney’s beloved novel into something that feels both literary and cinematic. As audiences prepare to fall in love with Marianne and Connell once again, they’ll also be witnessing the birth of one of contemporary cinema’s most exciting talents.
Taylor Swift just dropped the OPALITE music video and it`s giving major Irish vibes ☘️✨
The nearly 6-minute visual sees Domhnall Gleeson starring as Taylor`s love interest, playing two lonely souls who find each other. But here`s where it gets even better: eagle-eyed Swifties spotted cameos from Cillian Murphy and Graham Norton, making this a full-on Irish affair.
Want the full breakdown of this transatlantic collaboration? Head to our blog for all the details on how this stunning video came together. Link in bio! 🔗
The creator of DERRY GIRLS just dropped a murder mystery set at an Irish wake, and honestly? It`s the genre mashup we didn`t know we needed 🕵️♀️
Lisa McGee is back with HOW TO GET TO HEAVEN FROM BELFAST on Netflix, and if you loved how she found humor in the Troubles (Protestants! Toasters! Cupboards!), you`re going to eat this up.
Three friends reunite for their childhood bestie`s funeral, only to realize her death isn`t what it seems. Cue an eerie adventure across Ireland that`s equal parts creepy and hilarious.
More at irishfilmtv.com.
British Vogue just put Jessie Buckley on their February cover and it`s not just a magazine shoot—it`s a coronation.
Shot by Jack Davison on the windswept Norfolk coast near her home, these images are pure cinema. Sky, sea, and a woman at the exact moment her entire life is about to change.
She`s the frontrunner for Best Actress. HAMNET is destroying audiences. She`s a new mother standing at the edge of the kind of fame that alters everything.
And Vogue captured it all—the grit, the greatness, the quiet mastery that got her here.
More Jessie at irishfilmtv.com.
Caitriona Balfe has just landed her next major role in THE HOUSEKEEPER.
Set in a grand historic manor against Cornwall`s dramatic landscape, Balfe plays Danni, a housekeeper who falls into a forbidden affair with none other than writer Daphne du Maurier (played by Mackenzi Laird).
While we`re counting down to OUTLANDER`s final season premiere on Mar 6th, Balfe is already proving she`s so much more than Claire Fraser. 🔥
More Caitriona at irishfilmtv.com.
After over 20 years of mesmerizing us on screen, Saoirse Ronan is ready to call the shots—literally.
The four-time Oscar nominee is making her directorial debut with PAPER PLANE, an Irish short film she`s also writing, and honestly, this feels like the natural next chapter for someone who`s been acting since she was nine years old.
Details about PAPER PLANE are still under wraps, but with Ronan`s track record, expectations are sky-high. What are you most excited to see from her behind the camera? 🎬
More Saoirse at irishfilmtv.com.
Louis Paxton`s Sundance 2026 debut THE INCOMER stars Domhnall Gleeson, Gayle Rankin, and Grant O`Rourke in a trio that`s equal parts hilarious and heartbreaking.
Think fish-out-of-water meets generational grief, wrapped in the warmth of fireside hot chocolate. Sometimes the scariest thing isn`t a legendary Fin Man—it`s letting go of the past.
Have you ever held onto something because changing felt like betrayal?
More Domhnall at irishfilmtv.com.
🎸 THE BEATLES ARE COMING BACK TO CINEMAS.
Four films. Four perspectives. One legendary band.
Paul Mescal as Paul McCartney. Harris Dickinson as John Lennon. Joseph Quinn as George Harrison. Barry Keoghan as Ringo Starr.
The first look just dropped via postcards hidden around Liverpool`s performing arts campus and honestly?
The hype is REAL. 🔥
Sam Mendes is directing all four films, each told from a different Beatle`s POV, and they`re ALL releasing on the same day—April 7, 2028.
Which Beatle`s story are you most excited to see? 👇
Irish talent is absolutely dominating the 2026 BAFTA nominations! 🇮🇪✨
Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal both scored major noms for HAMNET, with Buckley up for Leading Actress as Agnes and Mescal recognized for Supporting Actor as William Shakespeare. The film has basically swept the nominations, breaking records left and right.
But that`s just the beginning. Andrew Scott landed on the longlist for BLUE MOON, Robbie Ryan got recognized for his stunning cinematography on BUGONIA, and even Cillian Murphy appears as a producer on the STEVE longlist.
From performers to cinematographers to production companies like Element Pictures and Wild Atlantic Pictures, Irish voices are everywhere in this year`s race.
The ceremony hits London on February 22nd. The world is watching Irish cinema right now, and what a moment to witness. 🎬🔥
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Aidan Turner is about to prove the pen is mightier than the sword 🗡️
Fresh from his scene-stealing turn as Declan O`Hara in RIVALS, Turner takes on one of literature`s most dangerously charismatic figures: the Vicomte de Valmont in DANGEROUS LIAISONS.
Mar 21 to Jun 6 at @nationaltheatre - more at irishfilmtv.com.
